UNRAVELING TOXINS INVOLVED IN ENVENOMING BY Lonomia obliqua CATERPILLARS

RICCI-SILVA ME. (1), VALENTE RH. (2), LEÓN IR. (2), TAMBOURGI  D V.(3) PERALES J (2), SIMONS MS. (1), CHUDZINSKI-TAVASSI AM (1).

(1) Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biofísica. Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. (2) Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacodinâmica. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - IOC-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. (3) Laboratório de Imunoquímica. Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brasil

Some coagulation disorders have been reported after contact with Lonomia obliqua caterpillars. However, patients have the physiological coagulation parameters recovered after treatment with specific anti-serum produced in horses against Lonomia obliqua bristle extract. Previous studies characterized procoagulant proteins (Lopap and Losac) from its bristles extract. The aim of this study was to identify the immunogenic components specially related to haemostasis by proteomic and immunological approaches. By these analyses, it was observed that the most expressed proteins in Lonomia obliqua extract were lipocalins, therefore they may have an important role in the envenomation process. Other identified components were serinoproteinase and proteins related to the cuticle, as it could be expected, once bristles extract was used for production of the antiserum.

KEY WORDS: Lonomia obliqua, haemostasis, proteomic, lipocalins

FINANCIAL SUPPORT: FINANCIAL SUPPORT: FINEP-COINFAR - CNPQ

CORRESPONDENCE TO:  Maria Esther Ricci-Silva. Lab. de Bioquímica e Biofísica, Instituto Butantan, SP, Brasil. Phone 55 (11) 3726-7222 r2109.E-mail: esthericci@butantan.gov.br